Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/robertsn/rwp-2jo/2jo1.rwp

Text File | 1993-03-13 | 12KB | 208 lines

1:1 {And her children} (\kai tois teknois autês\). As with
\eklektê kuria\, so here \tekna\ may be understood either
literally as in #1Ti 3:4|, or spiritually, as in #Ga 4:19,25; 1Ti
1:2|. For the spiritual sense in \teknia\ see #1Jo 2:1,12|.
{Whom} (\hous\). Masculine accusative plural, though \teknois\ is
neuter plural (dative), construction according to sense, not
according to grammatical gender, "embracing the mother and the
children of both sexes" (Vincent). See thus \hous\ in #Ga 4:19|.
{I} (\Egô\). Though \ho presbuteros\ is third person, he passes
at once after the Greek idiom to the first and there is also
special emphasis here in the use of \agapô\ with the addition of
\en alêtheiâi\ (in truth, in the highest sphere, as in #Joh
17:19; 3Jo 1:1|) and \ouk egô monos\ (not I only, "not I alone").
Brooke argues that this language is unsuitable if to a single
family and not to a church. But Paul employs this very phrase in
sending greetings to Prisca and Aquila (#Ro 16:4|). {That know}
(\hoi egnôkotes\). Perfect active articular participle of
\ginôskô\, "those that have come to know and still know."

1:2 {For the truth's sake} (\dia tên alêtheian\). Repetition of
the word, one of which John is very fond (#1Jo 1:6|, "the truth,
as revealed by the Christ, and gradually unfolded by the Spirit,
who is truth" (Brooke). {Which abideth in us} (\tên menousan en
hêmin\). See #Joh 17:19| for "sanctified in truth" and #1Jo 2:6|
for abiding in Christ, and so it includes all who are in Christ.
{It shall be with us} (\meth' hêmôn estai\). Confident assertion,
not a mere wish. Note the order of the words, "With us it shall
be" (\estai\ future middle of \eimi\).

1:3 {Shall be with us} (\estai meth' hêmôn\). He picks up the
words before in reverse order. Future indicative here, not a wish
with the optative (\eie\) as we have in #1Pe 1:2; 2Pe 1:2|. The
salutation is like that in the Pastoral Epistles: "\Charis\, the
wellspring in the heart of God; \eleos\, its outpourings;
\eirênê\, its blessed effect" (David Smith). {And from Jesus
Christ} (\kai para Iêsou Christou\). The repetition of \para\
(with the ablative) is unique. "It serves to bring out distinctly
the twofold personal relation of man to the Father and to the
Son" (Westcott). "The Fatherhood of God, as revealed by one who
being His Son _can_ reveal the Father, and who as man (\Iêsou\)
can make him known to men" (Brooke).

1:4 {I rejoice} (\echarên\). Second aorist passive of \chairô\ as
in #3Jo 1:3|, "of a glad surprise" (D. Smith), as in #Mr 14:11|,
over the discovery about the blessing of their godly home on
these lads. {Greatly} (\lian\). Only here and #3Jo 1:3| in John's
writings. {I have found} (\heurêka\). Perfect active indicative
of \heuriskô\ as in #Joh 1:41|, our "eureka," here with its usual
force, a continued discovery. "He sits down at once and writes to
Kyria. How glad she would be that her lads, far away in the great
city, were true to their early faith" (David Smith). {Certain of
thy children} (\ek tôn teknôn\). No \tinas\ as one would expect
before \ek\, a not infrequent idiom in the N.T. (#Joh 16:17|).
{Walking} (\peripatountas\). Present active accusative
supplementary participle agreeing with \tinas\ understood.
Probably members of the church off here in Ephesus. {In truth}
(\en alêtheiâi\). As in verse #1; 3Jo 1:4|. {We received}
(\elabomen\). Second aorist active (possibly, though not
certainly, literary plural) of \lambanô\. This very idiom
(\entolên lambanô\) in #Joh 10:18; Ac 17:15; Co 4:10|. Perhaps
the reference here is to #1Jo 2:7f.; 3:23|.

1:5 {Beseech} (\erôtô\). For pray as in #1Jo 5:16|. {Lady}
(\kuria\). Vocative case and in the same sense as in #1|. {As
though I wrote} (\hôs graphôn\). Common idiom \hôs\ with the
participle (present active) for the alleged reason. {New}
(\kainên\). As in #1Jo 2:7f.|, which see. {We had} (\eichamen\).
Imperfect active (late \-a\ form like \eichan\ in #Mr 8:7|) of
\echô\ and note \eichete\ with \ap' archês\ in #1Jo 2:7|. Not
literary plural, John identifying all Christians with himself in
this blessing. {That we love one another} (\hina agapômen
allêlous\). Either a final clause after \erôtô\ as in #Joh 17:15|
or an object clause in apposition with \entolên\, like #1Jo 2:27;
3:23| and like verse #6|.

1:6 {Love} (\hê agapê\). The love just mentioned. {That we should
walk} (\hina peripatômen\). Object clause in nominative case in
apposition with \agapê\, with \hina\ and the present active
subjunctive of \peripateô\, "that we keep on walking." {The
commandment} (\hê entolê\). The one just mentioned with the same
construction with \hina\ as in #1Jo 3:23|. John changes from the
first person plural to the second (\êkousate\ as in #1Jo 2:7|,
\peripatête\) as in #1Jo 2:5,7|. {In it} (\en autêi\). Either to
\alêtheiâi\ (truth) of verse #4|, \agapê\ of this verse, or
\entolê\ of this verse. Either makes good sense, probably "in
love." With \peripateô\ (walk) we have often \en\ (#1Jo 1:7,11|,
etc.) or \kata\ (according to) as in #Mr 7:5; 1Co 3:3; 2Co 10:2|,
etc.

1:7 {Deceivers} (\planoi\). Late adjective (Diodorus, Josephus)
meaning wandering, roving (#1Ti 4:1|). As a substantive in N.T.
of Jesus (#Mt 27:63|), of Paul (#2Co 6:8|), and here. See the
verb (\tôn planontôn humâs\) in #1Jo 2:26| of the Gnostic
deceivers as here and also of Jesus (#Joh 7:12|). Cf. #1Jo 1:8|.
{Are gone forth} (\exêlthan\, alpha ending). Second aorist active
indicative of \exerchomai\, perhaps an allusion to the crisis
when they left the churches (#1Jo 2:19|, same form). {Even they
that confess not} (\hoi mê homologountes\). "The ones not
confessing" (\mê\ regular negative with the participle). The
articular participle describes the deceivers (\planoi\). {That
Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh} (\Iêsoun Christon erchomenon en
sarki\). "Jesus Christ coming in the flesh." Present middle
participle of \erchomai\ treating the Incarnation as a continuing
fact which the Docetic Gnostics flatly denied. In #1Jo 4:2| we
have \elêluthota\ (perfect active participle) in this same
construction with \homologeô\, because there the reference is to
the definite historical fact of the Incarnation. There is no
allusion here to the second coming of Christ. {This} (\houtos\).
See #1Jo 2:18,22; 5:6,20|. {The deceiver and the antichrist} (\ho
planos kai ho antichristos\). Article with each word, as in #Re
1:17|, to bring out sharply each separate phrase, though one
individual is referred to. The one _par excellence_ in popular
expectation (#1Jo 2:22|), though many in reality (#1Jo 2:18; 3Jo
1:7|).

1:8 {Look to yourselves} (\blepete heautous\). Imperative active
with reflexive pronoun as in #Mr 13:9|. The verb often used
absolutely (#Php 3:2|) like our "look out." {That ye lose not}
(\hina mê apolesête\). Negative purpose with \hina mê\ and first
aorist active subjunctive of \apollumi\. This is the correct text
(B), not \apolesômen\ (we). Likewise \apolabête\ (that ye
receive), not \apolabômen\ (we). {Which we have wrought} (\ha
êrgasametha\). This is also correct, first aorist middle
indicative of \ergazomai\, to work (#Joh 6:27f.|). John does not
wish his labour to be lost. See #Ro 1:27| for this use of
\apolambanô\ for receiving. See #Joh 4:36| for \misthos\ in the
harvest. The "full reward" (\misthon plêrê\) is the full day's
wages which each worker will get (#1Co 3:8|). John is anxious
that they shall hold on with him to the finish.

1:9 {Whosoever goeth onward} (\pâs ho proagôn\). "Every one who
goes ahead. \Proagô\ literally means to go on before (#Mr 11:9|).
That in itself is often the thing to do, but here the bad sense
comes out by the parallel clause. {And abideth not in the
teaching of Christ} (\kai mê menôn en têi didachêi tou
Christou\). Not the teaching about Christ, but that of Christ
which is the standard of Christian teaching as the walk of Christ
is the standard for the Christian's walk (#1Jo 2:6|). See #Joh
7:16; 18:19|. These Gnostics claimed to be the progressives, the
advanced thinkers, and were anxious to relegate Christ to the
past in their onward march. This struggle goes on always among
those who approach the study of Christ. Is he a "landmark" merely
or is he our goal and pattern? Progress we all desire, but
progress toward Christ, not away from him. Reactionary
obscurantists wish no progress toward Christ, but desire to stop
and camp where they are. "True progress includes the past"
(Westcott). Jesus Christ is still ahead of us all calling us to
come on to him.

1:10 {If any one cometh and bringeth not} (\ei tis erchetai kai
ou pherei\). Condition of first class with \ei\ and two present
indicatives (\erchetai, pherei\). {This teaching} (\tautên tên
didachên\). This teaching of Christ of verse #9|, which is the
standard by which to test Gnostic deceivers (verse #7|). John
does not refer to entertaining strangers (#He 13:2; 1Ti 5:10|),
but to the deceiving propagandists who were carrying dissension
and danger with them. {Receive him not} (\mê lambanete auton\).
Present active imperative with \mê\. For \lambanô\ in this sense
see #Joh 1:12; 6:21; 13:20|. {Into your house} (\eis oikian\).
Definite without the article like our at home, to town. {Give him
no greeting} (\chairein autôi mê legete\). "Say not farewell to
him." Apparently \chairein\ here (present active infinitive,
object of \legete\ present active imperative with negative \mê\)
is used of farewell as in #2Co 13:11|, though usually in the N.T.
(#Ac 15:23; 23:26; Jas 1:1|) of the salutation. But here the
point turns on the stranger bringing into the house (or trying to
do so) his heretical and harmful teaching which seems to be after
the salutation is over. The usual greeting to a house is given in
#Lu 10:5|. On the other hand, if \chairein\ means greeting, not
farewell, here, it can very well be understood of the peril of
allowing these Gnostic propagandists to spread their pernicious
teachings (cf. Mormons or Bolshevists) in home and church
(usually meeting in the home). This is assuming that the men were
known and not mere strangers.

1:11 {Partaketh in his evil works} (\koinônei tois ergois autou
tois ponêrois\). Associative instrumental case with \koinônei\ as
in #1Ti 5:22|, common verb from \koinônos\ (partner). It is to be
borne in mind that the churches often met in private homes (#Ro
16:5; Col 4:15|), and if these travelling deceivers were allowed
to spread their doctrines in these homes and then sent on with
endorsement as Apollos was from Ephesus to Corinth (#Ac 18:27|),
there was no way of escaping responsibility for the harm wrought
by these propagandists of evil. It is not a case of mere
hospitality to strangers.

1:12 {I would not} (\ouk eboulêthên\). Epistolary aorist (first
passive indicative). {With paper and ink} (\dia chartou kai
melanos\). The \chartês\ was a leaf of papyrus prepared for
writing by cutting the pith into strips and pasting together, old
word (#Jer 43:23|), here only in N.T. \Melas\ is old adjective
for black (#Mt 5:36; Re 6:5,12|), and for black ink here, #3Jo
1:13; 2Co 3:3|. Apparently John wrote this little letter with his
own hand. {To come} (\genesthai\). Second aorist middle
infinitive of \ginomai\ after \elpizô\, I hope. {Face to face}
(\stoma pros stoma\). "Mouth to mouth." So in #3Jo 1:14; Nu
12:8|. "Face to face" (\prosôpon pros prosôpon\) we have in #1Co
13:12|. {Your} (\humôn\). Or "our" (\hêmôn\). Both true. {That
may be fulfilled} (\hina peplêrômenê êi\). Purpose clause with
\hina\ and the periphrastic perfect passive subjunctive of
\plêroô\, as in #1Jo 1:4|, which see.

1:13 {Of thine elect sister} (\tês adelphês sou tês eklektês\).
Same word \eklektê\ as in verse #1; Re 17:4|. Apparently children
of a deceased sister of the lady of verse #1| who lived in
Ephesus and whom John knew as members of his church there.